Ground broken on new brewery in Trenton

Beer Army Outpost of the James City area is on its way to introducing Belgian blondes, Irish reds and pale ales to Eastern North Carolina after a groundbreaking Thursday at Industrial Park Drive across from the Family Dollar.

TRENTON — Beer Army Outpost of the James City area is on its way to introducing Belgian blondes, Irish reds and pale ales to Eastern North Carolina after a groundbreaking Thursday at Industrial Park Drive across from the Family Dollar.

The outlet that specializes in craft beer selected Trenton (population 239) in November as the location of its new brewery.

Owners of Beer Army looked at 26 locations — including sites in Morehead City, Jacksonville, New Bern and Jones County — before selecting a 10,500-square-foot building in Trenton. After about $300,000 worth of renovations, the building will be the Beer Army Combat Brewery.

Scott Andrews, public affairs officer for Beer Army, said the brewery will take up a 7,000-squre-foot warehouse area of the building and there will be 3,500 square feet of office space.

Andrews; Dustin Canestorp, founder of Beer Army; Jeff Brungard, brewmaster; and Matt John, assistant brewer, were on site for the groundbreaking.

“It’s a huge day when you take into account we are breaking ground and getting our official brewing permit on the same day,” Andrews said before the groundbreaking. “It is really exciting to see all the hard work paying off, and in a few weeks we will be brewing beer.”

The grand opening will probably be in March or April, and that is when the brewery will began selling beer, Andrews said.

Some of the proceeds from an Irish red called “Fire in The Hole” will go to support the local fire department. Proceeds from the “Battle of Brocks Mill” brown ale will be used to support the local landmark, Andrews said.

Jayne Robb, of the Jones County Economic Development Commission and planning director for Jones County, said Beer Army Combat Brewery will have a huge economic impact on Trenton and Jones County by bringing in tourism, jobs and community support for other businesses.

“We are very excited about them being in Trenton and Jones County,” Robb said. “Just watching the brewery coming to life in the 7,000-square-foot production area has been exciting.”

People can see that progress at beerarmy.com.

“With the community outlook they have and the way they give back to the community, it will show strongly here because we are such a rural county,” Robb said. “We are very excited as a community and as a county.”

Andrews said in an earlier interview that Trenton was the perfect location for Beery Army’s brewery.

“Water is the main thing in brewing beer and they have great water,” Andrews said. “We also wanted to go into a community that really needed us and where we could benefit too. A small town is just what we needed.”

Beer Army Combat Brewery hopes to hire 18 to 24 employees over three years, Andrews said.

Page 2 of 2 - During the first year, Beer Army Combat Brewery plans to brew 3,000 half barrels, or 46,500 gallons, of beer that will include Indian pale ales, Belgian blondes, robust porters and Irish reds, Andrews said.

Plans are for the brewery to produce 7,000 half barrels in its second year and 15,000 the third, he said.

Once the beer is produced it will be sold in kegs to local bars and restaurants, he said.

The brewery will also have a tap room where people will be able to go and have a growler of beer and watch the brewing process.